James hansoe



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES HANSOR, OF SURREY COUNTY, ENGLAND.

GAS-GENERATING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent No.

To all whom ti may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES HANsoR, of the Wandsworth Road, in the county of Surrey, England, practical chemist, Ya subject of the Queen of Great Britain, have invented Improved Apparatus for the Manufacture of Illuminating Gas; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of my said invention.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and etlicient apparatus for manufacturing illuminating gas for home consumption.

The conditions essential to the successful int-roduction of illuminating gas as a domestic manufacture are simplicity of apparatus and facility of manipulation. It is therefore advisable to employ for the production of the gas materials that do not yield during their distillation the several impurities given off by coals when subjected to the distillatory process or otherwise the purification of the gas to render it lit for use becomes a complex operation requiring considerable experience in the operator and involving the employment of several purifying vessels. To obviate these inconveniences and at the same time to provide an economical substitute for coals-I use by preference a plastic compound which forms the subjectof a pending application for a patent but other compounds or substances of an oleaginous character may with advantage be employed.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved gas generating apparat-us and Fig. 2 is a back view of the same, Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line l, 2 of Fig. 4, which is a sectional plan view taken in the line 3, 4 of Fig. l and Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 5, 6 of Fig. 4.

The apparatus consists of t-wo retorts into which the carbonaceous matters are fed, to be converted into vapor by the action of the heat from the furnace; the vapors generated in these retorts being conducted through pipes to another retort of larger dimensions where the vapors are heated to a much higher temperature and thus converted into incondensable gas.

A is the furnace arranged to heat all the retorts at the same time, the heat being conducted through the lues or passages B, B which gradually diminish in size toward the back of the retort E. By this arrange- 16,544, dated February 3, 1857.

ment the retort will be uniformly heated throughout.

C, C are the retorts in which the carbonaceous matters are fed to be converted into vapor by the action of the heat from the furnace A. The vapor generated in the retorts C, C is conducted off as soon as formed through the pipes D, D to the retort E where it is subjected to a much higher teinperature for the purpose of converting it into permanent gas. The pipes D, D are embedded in fire bricks as shown in Figs. 4l and 5 to prevent condensation of the vapor in its passage from the retorts C to the retort E. In addition to the ordinary course of fire bricks I cover all the pipes at their union with the retorts with a thick layer ofV tire clay for the purpose of preventing their becoming so hot as to cause a deposit of carbon in their mouths and so choking the passage.

C, C are flues diminishing' gradually in area as they approach the back of the retorts C for the purpose of heating them uniformly. The flues C, C are connected with the flue of the larger retort which has an outlet to the chimney. By this arrangement of the flues and retorts the vapor will be generated and converted into gas, and the heat of the several retorts may be regulated by the dampers L L L as shown in the drawings.

D is the eXit pipe of the gas retort E of large diameter to permit of the rapid passage of the gas into the condenser which may be of the ordinary or other suitable construction.

F F are feed boxes shown separately at Fig. 6 consisting of a metal frame containing a series of metal trays into which the carbonaceous matters to be distilled (when of a plastic character) are placed. These trays are made about two inches deep and when in place on the frame a free space is left between them so that they may become quickly heated. The compound is spread on the trays to about one and a half inches in thickness and perforated metal covers are placed over the trays before inserting them into the retorts.

G G Fig. 7 are a series of perforated metal plates connected together and placed in the retort E, for the purpose of increasing the heating surface over or through which the vapors pass to be converted into gas. The frame of perforated plates G G may be placed in the retort E alone, or coke or other suitable material may be introduced between the perforated plates; or the retort E may contain coke stones or other heat absorbing matters by coming in contact with which the Vapor will be quickly converted into permanent gas. The pipes D D are litted with valves II II (shown in the detached sectional views at Fig. 8 for the purpose of passing the vapors from the retorts C to the central retort E and of preventing the return of the gaseous products if at any time the pressure is greater in the retort E than in the smaller retorts.

D* are continuations of the pipes D and are intended to discharge the distilled vapor into the atmosphere in case of any stoppage in the branch pipes.

I I are test pipes with stop cocks connected to the final exit pipe of the retort E for ascertaining whether the heat of the retort is suilicient to convert the vapor into gas the test for the proper heat being the instant ignition and bright burning of the gas on the application yof a light but when the crude gas issuing from the cock is of a chocolate color the heat of the retort E is too great and the damper must be closed a little. The proper color for the gas is a light brown tinged with green, J J are test pipes (with stop cocks) leading from the pipes D to allow jets of vapor to flow and thus to show when the retorts C C are of the proper heat to generate vapor and not gas, and they serve also to show when the charges are exhausted. When the product of the retorts C burns, however feebly, on the application of a lighted match the heat must be immediately reduced or there will be a copious and wasteful deposit of carbon in the retort E.

K K are supports to the fire bricksv which protect the retort E from the action of the flame. All the retorts are supported on pieces of fire brick to form passages under them.

L L L are dampers to the several fines which may be graduated so as to regulate the temperature of each retort for reducing or increasing the draft. The apparatus shown in the drawing is arranged to work with two vaporizing retorts and one gas generating retort but if desired one of the vaporizing retorts may be dispensed with by closing its damper. And I would remark that the dimensions, shape, and number of the retorts employed may be varied to suit the purpose and extent to which the manufacture of illuminating gas is required. rIhe gas after it has been cooled in the condenser is conducted to a washer and purilier and it escapes thence to the gasometer in a purified state ready for consumption.

From the above explanation it will be understood that little or no skill is required to tend the apparatus during the manufacture of gas; for by means of the test pipes L and J the temperature of the retorts will be readily known and the flow of the vapor and the gas will be continuous so long as the proper heat and the supply of carbonaceous matters are maintained.

I-Iaving now set forth the nature of my invention and explained the manner of carrying the same into eiect I wish it to be understood that I claim- The pipes I and J and the dampers L as combined with the retorts C and E operating in the manner substantially as described for the purpose of readily ascertaining and regulating the progress of the operation of gas making.

In witness whereof I, J AMES I-IANsoR, have hereunto set my hand and seal the twenty fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty six.

J. I'IANSCR. [In s] Witnesses WV. E. D. VVALKDEN, C. J. VVINTERSGILL. 

